A different Triforce - Zelda
by Kymopoleia
Summary: When horrible things happen to people the survivors may find themselves in a deep unusual bond. Starts pretty dark but has its fluffy moments. Short chapters, Zelda pov memory flashbacks, BotW AU, T for hints of torture and unusual relationships (re-named because of companion-piece in the making).
1. Captive

AN:  
I did not really intend to write this, but then I had one of those "what if" moments crossed with dark fantasies. Slowly things fell into place and this si the result.  
If this story is not your cup of tea I willingly accept that I cannot make everyone happy. If I can brighten your day, please feel free to post a review and point out improvements.  
This said, I make no money out of this and write for the pleasure of writing.

* * *

**Captive**

I was beyond scared, beyond horrified. Not about the Yiga planning to sacrifice me. That was to be expected. I already had had a few close calls but Link had saved me each and every time. Either because he had been sticking around like the good body guard he was or - like the last time - by showing up at the right moment.  
But this time it was different. The Yiga had been successful in capturing me on my way to Zora's domain and had dragged me to their hideout.

You may rightfully ask where my faithful body guard had been. To be truthful I once again had had my own ideas how things should work for me, the _princess_. Thus, I had decided to go on my own while Link was busy elsewhere. Well, I had not really been on my own, my father would not have allowed for that, I had been in the company of the Zora champion.  
Poor Mipha. Not only had I made her ride the whole way - she is too polite and shy for her own good and would never have complained about being uncomfortable on a horse. No, she had been captured, too. And this is where my arrogance had ended us in this most surreal horror scenario.

Yes, I had been promised to die in a few days, but I sort of accepted my fate. The Yiga would drag me out of the cell, tie me up, sing the praise of Ganon - and then mutilate me before chopping off my head. It served me right: firstly, my treatment of Link (and maybe the other champions as well) had been terrible; secondly, without the power to seal the darkness I was useless for Hyrule anyway. Thus, no damage done, end of story.

But the Yiga added a twist.  
Before that they would have a feast.  
With a special dish.  
Fish-and-banana curry.  
With Hylian rice.  
... not exactly fish ...  
Lacking the real thing they would replace it with Zora meat.

My stomach turned as they told me.  
And they continued telling me in detail how they would prepare ... her.  
What they would do to Mipha while she was still alive.  
And, as the guest of honour, I would get a front row seat and helping of curry, too.  
Thus, the Yiga finally managed to break me.

It didn't provide any comfort that Mipha was sitting right beside me, seemingly unconcerned.  
To my biggest shame it was the poor Zora girl who comforted _me_ when I knelt in our cell, incapacitated from vomiting, crying, self pity and the horrific images that raged through my mind.  
It really should have been the other way round. It wasn't me who was going to be brutally slaughtered and eaten.

Finally, I managed to pull myself together and wrap my arms around Mipha and reciprocate her kind gesture. She seemed so calm at that moment, this moment of shared sadness with both of us crying.

Then, all of a sudden, the key was turned an the door thrown open.  
Much too soon for my liking our time had run out.  
And Mipha's calmness ran out, too.  
She whimpered - I hadn't heard a more horrifying sound in my whole short life -, shivered uncontrollably and clung to me with such a force that her claw-like fingernails dug into my skin and drew blood.

"No! Take me instead! The flesh of Hylians is much tastier I have heard!" I cried.  
The words were out of my mouth before I could think clearly, and I turned us to shield Mipha from whoever would enter our cell.  
Then it hit me what I had said, to which fate I might have condemned myself.  
And I fainted, Mipha's pretty amber eyes staring into mine with a shocked expression was the last I saw before darkness enveloped my mind.


	2. Comfort

**Comfort**

I slowly woke to the mixed smells of something fruity and grilled meat.  
Slowly, that is, until said smell triggered my memories.  
"Mipha! NOO!" I sat up with a desperate shriek, my heart suddenly beating a mile a minute.  
No, they wouldn't, they hadn't ... they _mustn't_...

"Mipha." My voice cracked into a hoarse whisper. Tears formed in my eyes and ran down my face.

My horror stricken mind needed a minute or two to register that I was resting on something soft, opposed to the hard flooring of our prison. A fresh evening breeze rustled the tarpaulins of the Gerudo style tent which formed my shelter. Someone whispered into my ear and held me.  
"Zelda... Zelda, I'm here... we're safe... Zelda! ..."

"Mipha." I whispered again.  
Joy.  
Relief.

Guilt.  
Shame.  
I couldn't look her into the eyes. Again _she_ was the one comforting me, in spite of all the things my arrogance had caused.

Wonder.

"How?" My curiosity be damned. "Sorry, I, ... I ..." words failed my weak attempt at apologising.  
"Link." Mipha told me softly. "It was him who came crashing through that door, in all his blood stained glory."  
_How_ could she not be angry with me? How _not_ yell at me for failing her, for dragging her into this?

The Zora girl sighed, and when I snuck a glance at her face I noticed a somewhat dreamy expression on it.  
"Hylia alone knows how he managed to follow our trail, convince the Gerudo to raid this Yiga outpost and on top having the highest kill count on this expedition in spite of wearing those ... interesting ... clothes."

Mipha caught me looking at her and saw right through me, stupid curiosity and all.  
"That vai armour definitely looks good on him." A most adorable blush adorned the Zora girl's face alongside this mischievous smile. "Link has a cute feminine side, don't you think? ... uh ..."  
Her slight blush intensified into a pretty crimson, she clapped her right hand over her mouth and her eyes widened.

"Nevemind" Mipha mumbled into her hand.  
I smiled. What a terrible person am I?  
Honestly, how could I even think about making fun of Mipha's embarrassment after what she had been through?

"Oh, that's nice, you can smile. Looks much better on you than this dark frown."  
"Mipha, I'm terribly sorry. I dragged you into this mess and nearly got you ..." I gulped, Words refused to form in my dry mouth. "I a...almost got you k...killed." I looked down.  
"I don't blame you, Zelda. It was my choice to keep you company. And it was the Yigas' choice to hunt you down. ... Here, drink a little." Mipha put a small silver goblet into my hand. "You have been out for a day and you've not eaten properly for some more before that. Link is preparing something ... eggs with bacon and fruits, rice. Did you know he is that good at cooking? The Gerudo love it!"

Obviously, she was trying to distract me from my black mood and cheer me up. Oh how little did she know that Link had done all the cooking on our quest ... well, on _my_ quest to the holy springs.  
How good did it taste. And how little did I thank him. I would have hung my head even deeper in shame if possible.

After a few moments staring silently at the clear water, I took some small sips from the goblet. My dry throat was aching for moisture.  
"Thank you, Mipha. And thank you for being here for me."  
Better being grateful this late than never. "All of you must hate me. I am a failure, ... only cause trouble. Maybe, ... maybe it would have been better if the Yiga just had k..." my voice broke again "killed me." the last two words were barely audible.

"No, Zelda. We don't hate you. But this will not stop me from giving you a slap or two if you don't crawl out of this deep hole of emotional garbage you hide in, princess or not."  
"Maybe you should, Mipha ... Wait ... what?" She didn't just threaten to hit me? Mipha, of all people? And what kind of lowly language was that? I must have looked at her in utter disbelief because her smile got a slightly mischievous tint to it.  
"Seems I finally got your full attention. Zelda, we do care for you. Believe it or not."

"But Mipha, _why_?" I shook my head. "All of you Champions have your special abilities. And me? Nothing. I'm a failure. Pointless how hard I try. Even father says so. Without the power to seal ..."

Slap.

_Ouch!_

That _hurt_.


	3. Confrontation

**Confrontation**

"Was that enough or should I go on with it?"

That frown really did not suit Mipha. Nor did the fact that she actually and really had delivered the promised slap to my face.  
But maybe it was not that much a surprise either. She is the Zora champion, after all. And it would not surprise me if she proved to be the strongest of us all. Not physically, that honour would go to Daruk, but she has this seemingly inexhaustible inner strength.

My mouth hung open for a long minute as I felt my stinging cheek.  
I tried to express myself, only to notice that I had nothing to say. No witty retort, nothing to defend me, not even rightful anger at the Zora who had hit me.

I must have looked truly silly with my mouth opening and closing but no sound coming out.

"Don't be too hard on her, Mipha."  
I had not noticed Link coming into the tent.  
Did the shocks I got this day never end?

"She was out cold and is probably on a guilt trip. Again."  
I would not have recognised him if he hadn't spoken - not that he had spoken much in my presence, but at least enough one- and two-word sentences to let me remember his voice.

But now my mind only casually acknowledged that he had managed a count of seven and eleven coherent words. And did he just insult me, too?  
My main focus was on the green silky garments he wore. How they exposed his soft skin and underlined his well toned physique in all the right places.  
Maybe not, like Mipha had said, a feminine side, but intriguingly androgynous.  
Cute.  
Handsome.

No. I was not drooling over Link. It was the delicious smell of the food he brought.  
Judging from the smirk Mipha gave me she must have read my mind but thought otherwise.  
Judging from the speed with which Link deposited a plate full of food in front of me he must have either been afraid that I'd eat _him_ if he wasn't fast enough or he was simply embarrassed from me staring at him. Unfortunately a veil nicely hid most of his expression but enhanced his eyes (pretty eyes with long, girly lashes).  
Judging from the rumbling of my stomach my body, mind and hormones did not agree on what was drool worthy right now.

I decided not to care about my surroundings and dug in.

A very un-princess-like ecstatic moan escaped me as a multitude of flavours exploded in my mouth.  
"Hylia! ... Link, this is delicious. Thank you!"  
"Mpfh."  
Great, talking to me, Link was back to grunts. I opened the eyes which I had no memory of closing in the bliss of tastes I experienced.

Oops, no, he was simply eating himself, as was Mipha. Obviously Link had snuck in two more plates and was now sitting next to the Zora girl on a camp bed opposite to mine.  
He smiled at me, my knight in shiny ... silk.  
Why did it bother me that they were sitting so close to each other?

Matter did triumph over mind right now and I continued wolfing down the food.  
Did I really manage to beg for a second helping, only with my eyes, while I was still eating my first?  
I tried to eat more dignified. Maybe I was successful with that for the third helping - or fourth. But I don't remember.

A content purr rumbled in my throat as I finally put my plate aside, eyes half closed.  
Sated, I almost felt less depressed.  
"How much time have I lost in this mess." I addressed half myself and half the two champions in my presence and looked up. Hylia, did I feel weak - something my body successfully communicated with a yawn. I hardly managed to hide it with my right hand.

The weakness was greeted with two honest smiles, Mipha's slightly tilted from resting her head on Links shoulder. Had they watched me eating? How ... embarrassing. And when did they get this comfortable with each other?

"Not that much that you cannot properly rest." Mipha stood and fluffed up my pillow while Link held a bowl of water for me to wash my hands and face.  
When the Zora guided me, gently but insisting, back into a lying position and Link covered me with a light blanket they met no resistance.  
Slowly I drifted back into sleep, feeling perfectly safe in the hands of two wonderful persons.


	4. Company

**Company**

In the company of Link the journey to Zora's Domain had been relatively uneventful. Even the odd Lizalfos or stray Lynel had posed no obstacle - or diversion from the dusty roads. It had been the aftermath of the fights that had provided me with a bit of entertainment, when Mipha had softly scolded Link time and again for getting hurt after thoughtlessly storming into battle - but she had healed him nonetheless while doing so.

I sighed as I remembered the fights and, at the same time, watched a completely different side of Link. He was playing in the water with Sidon - Mipha's kid brother. I silently prayed that they could live like this forever.  
"Was it like this when your ran circles around the Lynel and it was unable to hit you?"  
The little Zora boy would swim circles in the reservoir around the Hylian who suffered his teasing with good nature and patience.  
"Brooding again, Zelda?"

Mipha woke me from my musings. Not "princess" and not "your highness".  
We have been on a first name basis since that delightful bath in a secluded oasis pond in the Gerudo desert. And here, away from the officials and duties of the court we could be just that, two young girls, friends who had a chat about the truly important things in life.  
"No, Mipha, just contemplating this carefree side of Link. Look how much fun they have!"  
"Yes. He will be a good father one day, don't you think?"

Mipha can do this to me. Make my mouth hang open and disconnect my thought processes.

I saw little Zora with yellow tail fins and blue eyes chasing red and blue haired Hylian children through green grass and shallow ponds. As a green eyed young girl with nicely braided blond hair joined them in my little fantasy I blushed.  
When I was able to focus my green eyes back to reality they met Mipha's amber coloured.  
She was blushing equally, wide eyed and covered her mouth with a hand.  
It looked like her thoughts might have gone in a similar direction like mine.

Hylia, save me from my curiosity which made me ask "Care to share?"  
I really should have added "your thoughts".  
Mipha's reaction was a comical squeak, not unlike a Dolphin's, and a blush which rivalled the colour of a red chili pepper.  
"You ... I ... he ... I don't ... you would ... but he's not interested ... in me ... I think ... ah ..." she ducked her head and covered her face.

Great. Two girls, a careless remark and puberty made a hilarious mixture.  
For sure I need not add that I suddenly felt very hot all over as I realised how my last sentence did sound.  
"Uh ... swim ... hot ... come, too?" I think that was it what Mipha mumbled through her fingers as she peeked at me like a child who 'hides' behind her hands.

"I have no swimwear ..." sure, this was my biggest problem right now ...  
"G...go naked? It's s...sunny and w...warm a...and I dontseethepointofclothesanyway."  
A tomato would have been envious of Mipha's colour as she fled to join Link and Sidon.

I'm sure she hadn't done this on purpose.  
Me.  
Mouth open.  
Mind blank.  
Again.

I don't remember what had ridden me to do this next. But I decided I needed some cooling down, too.  
Mipha was right, you know, it was a nice warm and sunny day.

I gulped and slid the straps of my dress off my shoulders.  
Keeping the white breast band and loincloth on did not do much for my modesty as I walked confidently into the water to join the others for some fun.

Poor Link, he almost drowned as he saw me like this and stopped moving while his mouth and eyes were wide open.

* * *

AN:  
In my oppinion, Zelda, Mipha and Link are more or less teens at this point of the timeline. They may be a bit wiser (at least Zelda and Mipha) than most, but hormones will still have a big say in how they react. Sidon is too young to notice.


	5. Calamity

**Calamity**

They are _dead_.  
All of them.

As I stand in what remains of my study, my eyes roam the ruins of what was once the flourishing city of Hyrule.  
Once again tears roll down my face and drip from my chin.

Daruk.  
All his strength and his shielding power did not help him as he was crushed inside Vah Rudania.  
Revali.  
Who would have thought that his own Vah Medoh would outmatch him in the air and shoot him down.  
Urbosa.  
Her fury quelled forever by the monstrosity that took Vah Naboris from her.

I feel my knees turn into jelly, and only Link's strong arms keep me from breaking down.  
To my great shame I do not equally regret the passing of the king, my austere father. On the other hand the hundreds of lives and thousands of homes lost to the rampaging guardians weight heavy on my soul.  
"Why?" I manage to turn around, cling to Link and cry my heart out. "_Why_."  
I really don't expect him to have an answer.

"No one, not even you could have foreseen that Ganon would turn them against us."  
Mipha. Her soft spoken words stop me from giving in to a wave of doubt and self loathing.

Hylia alone knows how she had fought her lonely battle inside Vah Ruta and won against the blight creature that had invaded her.  
Maybe one day she will tell us. Until then she proudly wears the scars to prove an unspoken tale.

As we learned about the demise of the other three champions we assumed the worst. Our sweet Mipha gone forever? I fell into a deep hole, deeper than when the Yiga held us prisoner.  
Through my tears I barely saw a battered Link standing between me and a hoard of guardians. But why fight on? There was nothing left to live for.

Then she came, _they_ came. Vah Ruta's blue light a beacon of hope in the sea of sickly purplish illuminated guardians that hopelessly outnumbered us. She truly is the strongest of us all, and so modest about it.  
"I get my strength and power when I think about ... what I love" she once had said to me, her eyes on Link clearly replacing the "what" with a "who".

_Then_, I had been blinded by envy of what _they_ seemingly had.  
Every soft touch between them torture, every sweet gesture towards the other painful for me to watch.  
I had been blind to them offering frienship and so much more to me as well.

I woke up the moment I assumed her to be dead - too late to change, to late to regret.  
In the heat of the battle I suddenly saw what _we_ had, felt whole, felt loved and felt love.  
The light of love, to seal away the darkness, it flowed easily through me when I accepted who I was, what I was part of.

I am sure Ganon never realised what hit him. Together we obliterated legions of guardians and finally pulverised him. Yes, pulverised, as in destroyed and not just sealed away. I'm sure he will never recover - should he still be out there somehow, somewhere.

"She's in that mood again?"  
I feel Link nodding.  
Mipha sighs and joins Link in holding me.  
I feel them shifting slightly, sharing a kiss, proclaiming their love.

Then Mipha kisses me.  
Hard.  
Caring.  
Soon her lips on mine are replaced by Links.  
Soft.  
Wanting.  
And it feels so good, sharing _our_ love.

What will my subjects say if they learn of the three of us?  
Maybe it would be best if I let the two of them go and live the happy life they deserve.  
Maybe ruling will distract me from my loss and loneliness.  
Maybe I can hide my dark thoughts long enough.

If only my tears would not betray me ...


	6. Coronation

**Coronation**

My smile honestly mirrors how happy I feel.  
I would never have thought that I would be this happy on the day of my coronation.  
Sometimes it is so easy, even if it had not been for that one old and almost forgotten law ...

"Zelda! Mipha! Link!"  
When, a few days after us having defeated Ganon, I was halfways presentable and functional again and we left the castle ruins people chanted on the streets.  
"Hurray!"

We rode on Vah Ruta, sat proudly on the tip of his trunk.

"Zelda! Mipha! Link!"  
I couldn't believe it, even the Hylians still cheered me - _us_ \- on, and so did the odd Gerudo, Rito and Goron in the crowd that gathered.  
"Our Triforce!"

All was in ruins, but we were the symbol of their hope, the symbol of light's victory.

"Zelda! Mipha! Link!"  
They waved at us, smiled - yes, _smiled._  
"Hylia bless our heroes!"

Slowly I accepted I might not have failed them completely.

"Zelda! Mipha! Link!"  
As I felt Link kiss my right cheek and Mipha my left, my heart almost stopped.  
How could they do _that_ in front of everyone!  
"Hurray!"  
"Long live our Triforce!"

Sweet Hylia, they accepted this?  
Cheered for us _three?_  
Cheered even louder than before, if possible?

I'm sure my face was a deep shade of red, because I felt quite warm, but at that moment I was too distracted by a thousand thoughts that sat on the merry-go-round in my head.  
Mipha and Link both smiled broadly as they moved closer to me for a loving embrace.  
My heart raced.

It was a little later when I learned that the monarch of Hyrule was entitled to a concubine alongside a spouse. An old law passed by one of my maybe more ... insatiable ancestors.  
A sly smile crept on my face as I realised that nowhere it was said that this was only valid for a male ruler. Besides it being already accepted by the people, it was legal for us three being together as more than allies, more than friends.

And thus, today I stand on the balcony of Hyrule City's town hall, Link to my left and Mipha to my right side.  
Like then, they each hold one of my hands.

Together we watch the crowd, Hylians, Gerudo, Gorons, Rito, Zora.  
Behind us reconstruction of the castle has yet to start, but Hyrule City starts blooming even prettier than before. Craftspeople from all over the land give her a new face.  
Hylian, Sheika and Gerudo style houses snuggle with wooden Rito nesting towers. They stick their feet into channels designed by Zora to interconnect their illuminated grottoes and the rest of the city. All built on the solid foundation of Goron stonework.

We inspired our nation to work together, even in unusual constellations, so it seems.

Sweet Hylia, I'm nervous.  
I have no reason to be since Mipha and Link are with me, but I still am.  
Now that I wear the crown, what else is expected of me, what more can I do?  
_We._  
A voice, not unlike Mipha or Link or both whispers a correction in my head.

Mipha, our strength.  
Link, our courage.  
And me, well, me would be wisdom, wouldn't I? Thus, making the Triforce whole.

Queen Zelda.  
Princess consort Mipha.  
Prince consort Link.

It will take a while for me to get used to that.  
A different kind of Triforce.

* * *

Fin.

AN: Yes, this is it. Short, but for me it feels complete this way.  
Maybe I'll write a spin-off chapter or two as companion piece, some romantic (ore kinky) moments I have in mind, but no promise.


End file.
